Thomas wkench



(No Model.) I

T. WRENCH. UMBRELLA, PARASOL, 0R SUNSHADE.

No. 323,381. Patented 311131.28, 1885.

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KJNI'IED STATES PATENT @rrics,

THOMAS WRENCH, OF LIVERPOOL, COUNTY OF LANCASTER, ENGLAND.

UMBRELLA, PARASOL, OR SUNSHADE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No, 323,381, dated July 28,1885.

Application filed May 6, 1884.

(No model.) Patented in England September 5, 1883, No. 4,271 in FranceMarch 5, 1884, No. 160,740,-

in Belgium March 11, 1884, No. 64,471, and in Geunany March 13, 1884,No. 28,803.

To all 1071 0772 it may concern.-

'Beit known that I, THOMAS Wanncn, a subject of the Queen of GreatBritain, residing at Liverpool, in the county of Lancaster, l lngland,have invented certain new and useiul Improvements in Umbrellas,Parasols, or Sunshades, (for which I have received Letters Patent inEngland, dated September 5, 1883, No. 4,271,) of which the following isa specification.

In umbrellas as at present constructed the cover is sewed round thestick just above the ring to which the ribs are pivoted. Notwithstandingthe cloth washer and the occasional padding placed between the cover andthe ring, the angular and hard nature of the ring causes the cover toproject in passing round it, and to rapidly wear at this point. Therebeing no place to sew the cover round except the bare stick end, it issewed round that partand a cap riveted on. \V hen a rib breaks or thewire rusts-out, the cap has to be broken oil and the cover ripped up toget at the fracture. lithe cover has to be renewed, it requires askilled workman to replace it with another. '1 he latter has to be sewedto the ribs at the ends, and this sewing is apt to come undone and a ribto project.

Now, my invention is designed to avoid these evils and supply a coverthat can almost immediately be removed and reapplied by any novice. Itis best described by aid of the accompanying drawings, in which Figures1 and 1 show the double cones hereinai'tcr described; Fig. 2, section oftop of u1nbrella, Fig. 3, caps shown in position on wires; Fig. l,separate view of cap with long socket containing coiled spring; Fig. 5,section of spring-clip; Fig. 6, front view of same.

The two hollow truncated cones are of rubber, joined at the upper end,the outer one, A, hig. 1, having preferably an obtnser angle and largerdiameter than the inner one, B. in the conical hollow space betweenthese cones the cover (3 is sewed, one cone being outside, the otherinside, the cover. The double cone is opened, compressed, and placedround the cover after the cover is completed, and anarrow hole letttherein for the stick and cones. The cones tit onto'the stick, and formaproboth inside and out. The outer or inner cone, or both, can beperforated to let out any water that may percolate into it. The rubberacts instead of the metal cap, and, being elastic, can be made toprotect the cover to a greater depth, and there being no riveting, thecover, with rubber cap attached, can be detached from the outer ends ofribs and instantly removed from the frame, and of course reapplied withfar greater celerity than in the case of the ordinary construction.Sometimes I unite the two cones and the cover with indie-rubbersolution, so as to form a solid piece, and pierce holes through thewhole for Water to escape.

To fasten the cover to the stick, I use a series of thimbles or hollowpoints, 1), Fi 3, having side eyes, E, projecting therefrom, to whichthe cloth G is sewed; or the hollow points I) may be made in the formshown in Fig. 3, with a hole,c, punched therein for the sewingthr'eadsto pass through. To attach the cloth cover, these caps after being sewedin place on the cover are simply slid on the ends F of the ribs, whichhave been sprung back momen tarily for the purpose, and which are alsomade destitute of or deprived of the usual terminal knobs. The cover isfurther attached to the ribs by a series of thin clips made ofspring-steel, (shown in Figs. 5 and 6, and in place at H, Fig. 2.) Theseare sewed onto the cover and sprung onto the ribs. In place oi these,ribbons or strings could be attached to the cover and tied over theribs, butthe spring-clips look the best. \Vith the use of thesespringciips the rubber caps, and the hollow tips, a cover can be changedin a minute, or thereabout, and consequently a person can make one stickand ribs do for a silk cover for state occasions, an alpaca cover forordinary wear, and a white cotton or silk cover for a sunshade. Theterminals, too, for the ribs can be made highly ornamental, and of anydesired material but for common use I stamp them out of metal as hollowcones. The said cones are pressed round a mandrel, like a rib end inshape, and a hole, a, is punched (by means of punchers on the stamp, orotherwise,) therein, through which the thread is passed for use inattaching them to the unibrella-cover. The cap or thiinble D is thentection for the cover at its most wearable part, 1 complete.

I sometimes have the sockets very long, as shown in Fig. 4, and place acoiled spring, G, in them. This allows the rib ordii'ia-rily to projectinto them only ashort distance, and yet the cloth remains tight. If anextra strain comes on the cloth, the latter, instead of airing way,obliges the ribs to enter the socket, further compressing the spring".This will be found very useful in the newer sort of umbrellas, wherethere are no spring-detents on the stick, but a constant strain isplaced on the cloth.

I am aware that leather and rubber washers or flies have been interposedbetween the notch and the cover to protect the cover from wear at thispoint; but such only partially serve their purpose, whereas the rubbercone of my invention relieves the cover entirely from chafing and Wearat and about the notch. l I claim as my inventioni 1. In combinationwith the cover of an umbrella and the uinbrella'stick, a double cone ofindia-rubber, substantially as described, adapted to fit around thestick and to receive the top of the cover between its two cones.

2. The combination of the cap or socket D, fixed to the cover, the ribF, and the spring G, by which means any sudden st *ain' on the cover istaken by the spring, instead of falling upon the sewing thread attachingthe rib or tip to the cover.

3. The combination of the cover wiih the caps D, spring-clips H, andelastic collar AB, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS WRENCH.

Vitnesses VVM. P. THOMPSON, J. O. OBRIEN.

